Meta-description: The 2024-25 season promises to be a classic, but what do the NFL odds say about who will rise to the top? Here we examine the prospects.
There’s no doubt about it, 2023-24 was a real humdinger of an NFL season. It culminated in a Super Bowl for the ages with the Kansas City Chiefs cementing their position as the team of the era. The fact that a certain musician’s relationship with their star tight end has brought them even more fans is just the icing on the cake.
And, while Patrick Mahomes may be the greatest quarterback still playing, it was the Ravens’ Lamar Jackson who carried off the MVP award, for the second time in his glittering career.
But as memories of last season’s highs, and lows, fade into the distance, now it’s time to look forward to the 2024-25 season which will be upon us sooner than we imagine.
The NFL odds are already being set predicting who’ll be the winners of Super Bowl LIX next February when it’s held at Caesars Superdome, New Orleans. And here’s who could well be in the running for the Vince Lombardi trophy.
Looking at the AFC
For many, it seems like an open and shut case that the Kansas City Chiefs will carry on in their winning ways. Mahomes continues to be in stunning form. And now that Xavier Worthy is on the roster they can only become stronger still.
Over at the Los Angeles Chargers there’s a new coach in town in the form of Jim Harbaugh who has been lured back into the NFL from the University of Michigan. The fact that he was turning his back on a reported $11.5 million a year contract says something for his determination to challenge for the Super Bowl.
Meanwhile, Baltimore Ravens will have a new partner for Lamar Jackson in the shape of Derrick Henry, signed on a two-year deal from the Tennessee Titans. They also have a new offense co-ordinator Todd Monken whose job it will be to work out how to merge their two very different playing styles.
We may get an early indication of how he’s done this in the tantalising Week 1 match-up between the Ravens and the Chiefs. Having lost last year’s AFC Championship Final to the Kansas team there are certain scores to be settled there.
There are another couple of teams who can be quietly confident that their season will go well.
Over at the Cincinnati Bengals the prodigal Joe Burrows returns after a 2023-24 season that saw him largely incapacitated by injury. Meanwhile, the Cleveland Browns will be looking to Deshaun Watson to regain the form that wasn’t very much in evidence last season.
So much for the AFC North. Heading south the Houston Texans look like a good bet, as reflected in the NFL odds. There’s been an influx of new talent including Joe Mixon, Stefon Diggs and Danielle Hunter and they seem well-placed to capitalize on the changes brought about by C.J.Stroud and DeMeco Ryans
In Jacksonville the Jaguars have under-performed for a few seasons now but their offense has been bolstered by the arrival of Brian Thomas Jr. and Gabe Davis. So they could be contenders again.
Prospects in the NFC
Just as the Chiefs seem set to rule the AFC it could be the same story in the NFC for the 49ers.
This is likely to be based around the triumvirate of Deebo Samuel, George Kittle and Christian McCaffrey with the right support from the rest of the squad they will certainly be a force to be reckoned with.
At the Rams they will have to adjust to life without the inspirational Aaron Donald. But they have plenty of players to make up for the loss including Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua. Plus, as a rookie replacement for the Donald-less defense they have the first round draftee Jared Verse straight out of Florida State.
For the Seattle Seahawks it’s going to be all about the defense and a lot of that weight is going to be on the shoulders of Mike Macdonald, broad as they might be
Last season, the Detroit Lions demonstrated that they were far from sleeping so the challenge going forward will be to build on this momentum. With a young, eager squad and the addition of Jared Goff this shouldn’t be an issue and we can expect to see their NFL odds growing ever more favorable.
There’s been another great signing at the Packers in the shape of Xavier McKinney who, along with Jordan Morgan, will make them stronger than ever.
Other teams to note include the Atlanta Falcons whose superstar quarterback Kirk Cousins just gets better and better. Meanwhile the Carolina Panthers will be very much hoping that the $150 million+ they are spending on Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis will pay off sooner rather than later.
So it promises to be an exciting season all round – and we can’t wait for the entertainment to start!
